16 Days
Whiskeytown Lyrics
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Got sixteen days
One for every time I've gone awayOne for every time I should have stayedShould have wore my wedding ring
Got sixteen days
Fifteen of those are nightsCan't sleep when the bed sheet fightsIt's way back to your side
Well the ghost has got me running
Well the ghost has got me running
Away from you, away from you, awayWell the ghost has got me running
Well the ghost has got me running
Away from you, away from you, away
Got sixteen days
Got a bottle and a rosaryGod I wish that you were close to meI guess I owe you an apology
Got sixteen days
Fifteen of those are nights
Can't sleep when the bed sheet fightsIts way back to your side
Well the ghost has got me running
Well the ghost has got me runningAway from you, away from you, awayWell the ghost has got me running
Well the ghost has got me runningAway from you, away from you, away
Old tin cups, little paper dolls
All wrapped up in ribbons bows and hearts
Old tin cups and little paper dolls
All wrapped up in the ribbons of your heart
I got sixteen days
Sixteen days
I got sixteen days
It's like a fool I am
The song "16 Days" by Whiskeytown is a poignant and emotionally charged tale of a man who is haunted by a ghost from his past. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been absent from his partner for sixteen days, which corresponds to the number of times he has left her in the past. He regrets his actions and wishes he had stayed with her instead of running away. He even wishes she were close to him now and admits that he owes her an apology. However, he is unable to shake off the ghost of his past and the guilt that comes with it, and this makes him feel like a fool.
The first stanza reveals that the singer has left his lover sixteen times and has now resolved to stay for sixteen days to make up for it. However, he cannot shake off the memories that come with staying in the same bed that they shared together. The line "Can't sleep when the bed sheet fights / It's way back to your side" is a powerful metaphor that suggests that the singer's subconscious is tormented by thoughts of his partner, and he cannot get any peace.
The second stanza shows the singer's struggle to move on from his past mistakes. He wishes his partner was still close to him because he misses her and he knows he was wrong to leave her. The image of a bottle and a rosary symbolizes his desperation and his longing for redemption. He knows he needs to apologize, but he can't seem to bring himself to do it. The ghost of his past is too strong, and it makes him feel like a fool.
Line by Line Meaning
Got sixteen days
I have a limited amount of time to fix what I've done wrong
One for every time I've gone away
Each day represents a time I left you alone
One for every time I should have stayed
Each day also represents a time when I should have stayed to fix things
Should have wore my wedding ring
I wasn't fully committed to our marriage and regret not wearing my ring
Fifteen of those are nights
Most of the time I'm alone, and it's harder to deal with at night
Can't sleep when the bed sheet fights
The bed reminds me of you and I can't get comfortable
It's way back to your side
I keep imagining you there with me, and it hurts
Well the ghost has got me running
I'm haunted by my mistakes and trying to escape them
Away from you, away from you, away
I can't face you because I'm ashamed of what I've done
Got a bottle and a rosary
I'm praying for forgiveness and trying to find solace in alcohol
God I wish that you were close to me
I miss you more than anything and want to make things right
I guess I owe you an apology
I know I've hurt you and I'm sorry
Old tin cups, little paper dolls
These objects remind me of our happy times together
All wrapped up in ribbons bows and hearts
Those objects are symbolic of our love and commitment to each other
All wrapped up in the ribbons of your heart
Our love is something I cherish and don't want to lose
I got sixteen days
I have a limited amount of time to make things right before it's too late
It's like a fool I am
I realize now how foolish I've been and how much I've lost
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JohnYoung-pz8ve
This song got me through 3hard years and I just wanna Say Thank You
@monicajean4249
Never gets old....
@LMGunslinger
woah, just heard this song for the first time yesterday. I didn't know how old this song is.
@lisawallace5081
This cd was in a jukebox in a little dive bar in Oklahoma City in 96. Fell in love immediately!
@Eyelooker11
Hi Lisa. Isn't that just the way to discover great music sometimes. I KNOW Ryan Adams would approve. Cheers!
@bcomer1488
I thought this album came out in 97 though...
@70Emeralds
@@bcomer1488 The tracks were being played for about a year before the album dropped. Label issues, I think. I waited a year after seeing them live before it was put on shelves.
@extina
Doubtful
@kevinreynolds7068
They plucked this song from the universal mind. Perfection. Thank you
@markgardner4189
It is so wonderful. ✌️